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No doubt about it: gassing up your car is a pretty mundane chore. Twist cap, swipe card, press nozzle, and repeat. After awhile, even the gas stations themselves start to blend together. And wherever you go, you feel like you were just there.

Well … almost wherever you go. There are a few gas stations left in this country that know how to take the humdrum out of the oil drum.

Here are 5 seriously cool gas stations throughout the U.S. — ones that make sure filling up is never a cause for feeling down.

Jack Colker’s 76

Utilizing Googie architecture — a style native to LA that features, among other things, outer-space themes — this fill-up spot manages to revive the muscle-car era while glimpsing a galactic future.

The open windows and kitschy neon make you want to park and order a root beer float. Meanwhile, the flying saucer of a roof would cause Doc’s DeLorean to feel like it overshot its comfort zone by a few years.

If you think these aerial notes feel a bit wacky (and they do, in the best way), they make more sense when you find out the roof was originally designed for LAX airport.

R.W. Lindholm Service Station

Location: Cloquet, MN

What’s cool about it?

Much like phone booths and boiler rooms, gas stations are typically architectural afterthoughts. That is, we assume great designers save their “A” material for bold skyscrapers and avant-garde museums (rather than, you know, the place where we reheat chalupas).

Not so with this hidden gem. The R.W. Lindholm Service Station is the one and only pumping post designed by Frank Lloyd Wright. Who knew “create cool gas stations” made it onto his prestigious to-do list?

Resembling a forest hideaway rather than a fuel stop, it features a lush green canopy, cypress wood, and radiant heat. It also sports a glass observation deck for those who just want to chill out and appreciate their surroundings.

Shell Service Station

Location: Winston-Salem, NC

What’s cool about it?

Historical significance and sheer oddness make this a pit stop-worthy pump. It’s historical in being the last of the Shell Company’s 8 original stations (so fueling up here kinda like buying Twizzlers from the first Walgreens).

It’s odd in the sense that, well, let’s just say the “Shell” name used to be quite literal. Standing inside this bright yellow husk, you feel as if you might wash ashore and have kids pressing you to their ears any minute.

Teapot Dome

Location: Zillah, WA

What’s cool about it?

This service station was constructed as a reminder of the Teapot Dome scandal from the 1920s, which dealt with the misappropriation of key oil fields under President Harding’s watch.

But, on a more adorable note … it’s a giant teapot!

Helios House

Location: Los Angeles, CA

What’s cool about it?

As a green company, we’d be remiss if we didn’t mention this greenest of gas stops. Helios House does its best to replenish the energy we use on fuel in every way it can.

Catch basins that prevent ocean runoff, a recycled-glass exterior, and an actual green roof (with plants and everything) are just a few of the awesome features. Shoot, all the ingenuity at Helios House is almost enough to make you glad the needle’s on “E”! (Almost.)

Let Fuelcaster® point you toward lower gas prices

If you can’t quite make the journey to one of these cool gas stations, that’s understandable.

The good news is we can help you find stations where the gas is cheap!

Fuelcaster from Esurance, predicts whether gas prices are expected to rise or fall tomorrow and even shows you where you can find the lowest prices in your area. Because let’s face it, the coolest gas station is the one where you get the best deal on gas. Get a prediction today.

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about Alex

As copywriter for Esurance, Alex had professional experience in everything from film to literature to (thanklessly!) correcting the grammar in friends' emails. As a fervent Minnesota sports fan, he spends most of his non-writing time gently weeping into cereal bowls.